‘2027 Cambridge Conference plans’

    

Quatuor Coronati Lodge 2076 (EC) is the first Masonic lodge of research, having been set to labor 140 years ago. At this time, there are only forty-one members, of whom five are American. Adam Kendall of California will be installed in the East on November 12.

The plan is coming together for Quatuor Coronati Lodge 2076’s Cambridge Conference next year. The details—theme, speakers, registration, etc.—are posted, so make plans for the first weekend of September 2027. From the publicity:

Quatuor Coronati Lodge 2076

Cambridge Conference

‘Rituals: Pasts & Present’

September 3-5, 2027

Queens’ College, Cambridge

Click here

The 1720s and early 1730s saw the introduction of radical new Masonic ritual, with the Second Degree reflecting the emergence and incorporation of Enlightenment values and the Third Degree introducing the Hiramic legend. Other degrees and degree systems followed over succeeding years and decades. Notwithstanding this, in many jurisdictions there is a belief that ritual is in some manner immutable and not open to change.

This Conference outlines why that has not been and is not the case. 2027 marks the approximate tercentenary of the introduction of Third Degree and the anniversary provides an opportunity for our speakers, panellists and delegates to discuss, debate and contextualise the evolution of Masonic ritual in Britain, Ireland, Europe, America and elsewhere.

We have a slate of world-class speakers and papers that cover the Blue Degrees, the Royal Arch, European rituals, the Swedish and Scottish rites, and much more. This is the first occasion on which such a breadth of topics will be considered and debated and promises to be a fascinating and ground-breaking event.

Queens’ College

The Mathematical Bridge, built 1748-49.

The venue, Queens’ College, Cambridge, is also outstanding. Queens’ was founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou and spans the River Cam with the Mathematical Bridge. Its alumni include Erasmus, who studied at the college from 1506-15.

Queens’ College

Old Hall was built in 1449 as an original part
of the college.

Accommodation is available in College and we will have access to both the College Bar and dining facilities. The Conference Dinner on Saturday evening will be preceded by a drinks reception in the Old Hall. The dress code for the weekend is relaxed smart/casual, albeit with a jacket and tie, or suit, or dress, for the Conference Dinner and Reception. Partners are welcome to attend, as are all members (and non-members) of QCCC. A range of books and regalia will be available courtesy of Lewis Masonic.

Please diarise the Conference, which will be exceptional. And book here for a great few days.

Speakers to include:

Dr. Ric Berman,

Conference Chair

Ric Berman researches, writes and speaks on eighteenth and nineteenth-century English, Irish and American history, with an emphasis on Freemasonry, the largest and most consequential society in Europe and America. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, the author of numerous journal articles and ten books, and has delivered keynote lectures worldwide. Ric holds an MA and Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge and the University of Exeter, respectively, and undertook post-doctoral research at the University of Oxford’s Modern European History Research Centre. A Freemason for more than forty years and twice Prestonian Lecturer, Ric is a Past Master of three English Lodges including Quatuor Coronati, and chairs QCCC. He is also an American Freemason, a member and honorary member of lodges in seven states, a Blue Friar, and a Fellow of the Philalethes Society. 

Professor Jan Snoek

Jan Snoek’s presentation provides an overview of the current state of academic research into the development of the Masonic degree system in the first half of the 18th century. It traces the development of ritual from a single degree in Scotland and England, into two degrees in both Scotland and London, then three degrees in London; the subsequent appearance of the Scots Master’s Degree in London and its spread to France and Germany; and finally, the development of a ‘Royal Arch’ degree in Paris and its expansion to England. Jan was awarded a Ph.D. in Religious Studies from Leiden University, the Netherlands, in 1987 for a thesis on initiation rituals. From 2000 until his retirement, he worked as a ritual specialist at the University of Heidelberg, Germany, where he illustrated his publications on ritual theory with examples from Masonic rituals. He is the author of more than 100 publications on Masonic rituals, including “The Early Development of the Degree of Scots Master in Germany and Neighboring Countries.” He was initiated in 1971 and has been an active Freemason since.

Robert Cooper

Bob Cooper will examine and seek to shed light on the origins of the Third Degree and will suggest that these lie in Scotland. Bob also will provide the context to this argument, including a brief history of Scotland at that time and its national network of lodges. Bob is the former Curator of the Grand Lodge of Scotland, having served for some thirty years from 1994. He is the author of numerous books and articles on all aspects of Freemasonry and has appeared in several television and radio programs. He was initiated in The Lodge of Light 1656 and is a Founder Member and a Past Master of Lodge Edinburgh Castle 1764. He also is a Past Master of Sir Robert Moray 1641, the premier Scottish lodge of research, and of Quatuor Coronati 2076.

Leif Endre Grutle

Leif’s paper looks at the origins and development of the Swedish Rite, a unique set of rituals practiced across the Nordic countries. Leif was born in Bergen, Norway, and graduated from the Norwegian School of Theology in 1998 as Candidatus Theologiae, a degree ranking between Master and Ph.D. in Theology. He took holy orders in 2001 and worked as provost in the Church of Norway. Leif was initiated in 2004 into the Norwegian Order of Freemasons and is Knight & Commander with the Red Cross, the XI and last degree of the Swedish Rite. He joined Niels Treschow Lodge, the research lodge of the Order, in 2012, and served as Master from 2017-23. He is co-editor of Acta Masonica Scandinavica, the annual transactions of Scandinavian Masonic research, and his research has been published in both this and other publications, including AQC and Heredom.

Lucio Artini

Lucio’s research focuses on the relationship between Freemsonry, politics and the Catholic Church, and his presentation (with Martino Cartella), will explore this theme. Lucio was born in Arezzo, Italy in 1960, and holds a degree in Political Science from the University of Florence. He has written articles for L’Uomo and Officinae and in 2014 published “Beato Gregorio X il Papa Crociato: il Papa templare?” He has spoken at conferences globally, including those organized by Quatuor Coronati and ICOM, and is a member of the Loggia Lorenzo il Magnifico 52, Florence; and Mount Sinai Lodge 8993, London. The paper will be delivered by co-author, Martino Cartella.

Jay Hochberg

Jay’s paper examines the links between Thomas Reid, William Preston and the (American) Fellow Craft Degree. Jay is a Freemason under the Grand Lodge of New York and celebrates his thirtieth anniversary in the fraternity in 2027. A Past Master of two research lodges, in New York and New Jersey, he has written about Freemasonry for both Masonic and the general media, and has spoken before Masonic and general audiences for twenty-five years. Outside the fraternity, he is an editorial professional, having regressed from award-winning journalist to political press secretary to his current grind as a freelance copywriter/editor, which he somehow rationalizes is a legitimate use of his BA in Journalism from New York University.

Erich Huhn

Erich’s paper aims to bring a new understanding to the way Freemasonry developed in the United States, not out of whole cloth but through the ritualistic innovations of appendant/concordant bodies and Grand Lodge committees. Erich is a Ph.D. candidate in History & Culture at Drew University in Madison, New Jersey. His research focuses on the way Freemasonry and fraternal organizations helped reinforce middle-class values and are used as tools of social “placing” throughout the long nineteenth century. Erich has written New Jersey’s Masonic Lodges (Arcadia Publishing, 2019); he is Secretary of New Jersey Lodge of Masonic Research and Education 1786; Senior Warden at The American Lodge of Research, New York City; and QCCC Local Secretary to New Jersey.

Jan Paulus

Jan examines the role of Irish Freemasonry during the period of political upheaval that accompanied the outbreak of the Irish Civil War and the early years of the Irish Free State. Jan is studying for a Ph.D. in History at St. Catharine’s College, Cambridge. He holds an MPhil in Internatonal History from Trinity College, Dublin; and a BEd in History and English from Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz.

Dr. Victor Serafimov

Victor’s paper examines how different ritual traditions have been transmitted, adapted and sometimes combined across Eastern Europe. Bulgaria is one example, where the Schröder/AFAM tradition is predominant alongside Emulation and Scottish-derived workings. He also looks at comparisons in Turkey, Hungary and other European jurisdictions. Victor is the 2026 winner of the Norman B. Spencer Prize. He is a member and Orator of Lodge Vitosha 121; and a member of Lodge Quatuor Coronati 40, both under the United Grand Lodge of Bulgaria, and is the Local Secretary for QCCC. Victor holds a Doctorate in International Public Law from Southwest University; a Masters in Law from Sofia University; a Diploma in English and European Law, University of Cambridge; and an MBA, American University in Bulgaria. He runs a Strategic Advisory Consultancy and is an Adjunct Law Professor at the American University in Bulgaria and a former board member of Bulgarian National Television and Bulgarian National Radio.

Daniel Stanford

Dan’s paper provides a commentary on the Irish Royal Arch Degree and a history of its evolution. Dan is a Past Master of Corinthian Commercial Lodge 245, and currently a Provincial Grand Director of Ceremonies and elected member of the Grand Lodge of Instruction of Ireland. He is also active in Mark and Royal Arch Masonry, and other orders in Ireland.

Dr. Mike Kearsley

Mike takes a personal look at the Royal Arch and how it is often misunderstood, where it is understood at all. Mike was born in Lancashire and lived in New Zealand for many years before returning to the UK. He returned to NZ once again in 2020. Mike was initiated into Freemasonry in Hawera Lodge, Taranaki, NZ, and passed and raised in Mairehau Lodge, Christchurch, NZ. In the UK, he joined David Bonner Lodge, the musicians lodge of the Province of Middlesex, becoming Master in 2010 and thereafter Secretary. He is also a member of Temple of Athene Research Lodge (Master, 2013) and Quatuor Coronati. Mike is a prolific researcher and author, a past Provincial Grand Orator for Middlesex, and in 2011 was awarded the Norman B. Spencer Prize. He was appointed Prestonian Lecturer in 2014 and ANZMRC’s Kellerman Lecturer in 2019. He is also a former editor of The Square.

Ben Williams

Ben’s paper will examine the evolution and purpose of the York and Scottish rites, and their impact in America. Born in England but living and working in the US, Ben is a Past Master of Norwood Lodge 111 and Telluride Lodge 56, and currently serves as Secretary for the Research Lodge of Colorado. He is very active in both the York and Scottish rites, as well as numerous appendant bodies and orders. A Past Grand Orator of the Grand Lodge of Colorado, he has also served as the Chair of the Grand Lodge Education Committee for six years. Ben is an Intellectual Property and Patent Attorney based in Denver and Los Angeles. He is the founder of Williams Intellectual Property, Inc., a firm he established in Denver in 2012, and expanded to Los Angeles in 2022, when he became a registered patent attorney admitted to the California Bar. In 2026, he joined Fabian VanCott (est.1874) as intellectual property counsel.

Click here to register for the conference, the ensuing reception and dinner, and even accommodations at the college. Questions? Write here.

(Listen, I know I don’t belong in this company. You think I don’t know that? I know that. But it’ll be okay. While I have spoken on this subject several times in the New York City area the past two years, what I’m writing for next September will be more detailed and will have greater context. It’ll be written before the April 1 deadline, so I’ll have months to prepare for the oral delivery. It’ll be okay. Right? Tell me it will be okay!)

     

‘Special Meeting at Daniel Boone Homestead’

    

I’m on the fence about driving to this one, but if Bro. Corelli is up for it, I’ll get us out there. It’s not a degree that Union 479 has planned for next Friday, but a Special Stated Meeting, and it looks like fun, plus I’ve never been to the Daniel Boone Homestead. (The Empire State Grotto Association annual, scheduled for this weekend in Jersey, got scratched. The James R. Case Award dinner, rescheduled for tomorrow in Connecticut, apparently is being rescheduled again. I am owed a little trip!)

Sorry to say I’ve never even heard of Birdsboro, where both lodge and historic site are located, but it isn’t prohibitively distant. The lodge normally meets on fourth Thursdays in its own building, but the brethren will get together this time, by dispensation, at the Homestead with a campfire cookout afterward.

The Daniel Boone Homestead, in the words of its caretakers:

...preserves its historic, cultural, and natural resources to educate and interpret the life of Daniel Boone, the history of the Oley Valley and promote environmental stewardship through engaging, and interactive experiences that are relevant, accessible, and meaningful to diverse audiences. The Daniel Boone Homestead Associates, a non-profit community-based organization, supports and assists the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission in the operation of the site.

Union Lodge received its charter 156 years ago this month. Read their history here.

Hope to see you there.

     

‘Gan is new Canon Portal Lecturer’

    

The ubiquitous Richard Gan (Master of QC2076 for starters!) has been named the next Canon Portal Memorial Lecturer, according to an announcement from the Mark Master Masons in England. From the publicity:

Richard Gan

We are delighted to announce RW Bro. Richard Gan, JP., P.Prov.G.M. (Middlesex), as the next Canon Portal Memorial Lecturer. Richard will explore the remarkable life and legacy of Frederick Binckes, whose vision and service had a profound influence on Mark Masonry.

Binckes played a pivotal role in the development of the Mark Degree, the Mark Benevolent Fund and the establishment of Mark Masons’ Hall. His wider contribution to Freemasonry and its charitable institutions was equally significant.

We look forward to welcoming Richard and to another engaging and enlightening occasion of Masonic history and fellowship.

Synopsis of the 2026 Canon Portal Memorial Lecture—“Frederick Binckes: A Remarkable Freemason”—Frederick Binckes was an outstanding Victorian Freemason who had a profound and lasting effect on many different aspects of Freemasonry, and was instrumental in putting Mark Masonry on the map. He was appointed Grand Secretary of Mark Grand Lodge in 1861, and served concurrently as Secretary of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys for more than twenty-eight years. Binckes had a considerable influence on the expansion of the Mark Degree and its acceptance into mainstream Masonry, both at home and overseas, the creation of the Mark Benevolent Fund and the establishment of Mark Masons’ Hall in Great Queen Street.

He also played a key role in the Royal Ark Mariner being brought under the protection of Mark Grand Lodge, as well as the formation and early development of the Royal and Select Masters, and the Allied Masonic Degrees.

To arrange a delivery of the Fourth Portal Lecture in your Province or District, please contact R.W. Bro. Gan here.

We also extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to W. Bro. Dr. John Walter Hawkins for his dedication, service, and scholarly contribution in delivering the previous lecture.

Perhaps you know Bro. Gan from Masonic Week. If not, here is a little biograpy from Lewis Masonic:

Richard Gan is a senior Freemason and a Grand Officer in all the major Orders of Freemasonry. He retired in June 2010 as Deputy Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons. Born in 1950, he was educated at the Becket School, Nottingham, and is a graduate of London University where he took an Honours Degree in Geology and subsequently studied part-time for a Masters Degree in Education. He is also a graduate of the Open University, where he took a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Management Studies. Whilst at the Institute of Education he combined winning a double distinction in the Post Graduate Certificate of Education whilst also serving as President of the Students’ Union. He has enjoyed a number of successful careers in education and Masonic administration before finally becoming Editor of The Square, an independent magazine for Freemasons, retiring in 2014. He is a full member of Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076, the premier lodge of Masonic research.

The Canon Portal Memorial Lecture is a fairly recent tradition, established 2018, in English Mark Masonry. Gan is the fourth to be so honored and set to labor. The lecture was created by the Mark Benevolent Fund at its sesquicentennial anniversary to honor the history and legacy of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of England and Wales.

It is named for Canon George Raymond Portal (1827-89), a founder of both the MBF and the Mark Grand Lodge, serving as its Grand Master, 1869-73. A giant in various Masonic orders in England (Grand Master of the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters, England and Wales in 1871 and Grand Master of AMD at the time of his death), Portal was not unknown in the United States. During his Mark grand mastership, he served as representative to the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Iowa.

His too brief obituary in Vol. II (1889) of Ars Quatuor Coronatorum simply reads:

Click to enlarge.

The April 13, 1889 edition of The Freemason: The Organ of the Craft, a Weekly Record of Progress in Freemasonry Literature, Science and Art, reports:

Yet once again, within the brief period of a few weeks, the melancholy duty devolves on us of recording the death of one of the ablest and most experienced members of our Craft... We are sorrowing over the loss of a reverend brother who had secured both Grand and Provincial Grand Lodge honors; and had not only presided as Grand Master over the Mark and other degrees or systems of Masonry, but had likewise been their guide, philosopher, and friend during so long a term of years that his loss, if not irreparable, will be most difficult to repair.

Bro. the Rev. Canon Portal, almost from the time of his initiation until his death, was a busy as well as an able member of the Craft. Two years after he had been made a Mason, we find him presiding as Master over one of our most important Provincial Lodges, and assisting in the resuscitation of another, which, but for his fortunate intervention would, in all probability, have then and there disappeared from the roll of Grand Lodge. Five years later, in conjunction with other Oxford brethren, he took a leading part in the revival of one of our oldest and now one of our most distinguished Metropolitan lodges, while, about the same time, his voice was frequently heard in Grand Lodge on the stirring question of the Canadian lodges and their alleged neglect by the home authorities.

In 1856 he turned his attention to the Mark Degree, and on the establishment of the Mark G. Lodge was appointed one of its Grand Chaplains. Thenceforward he appears to have devoted almost the whole of his attention to this particular branch of Masonry, and there can be no question that the Mark is chiefly indebted for its success to the efficient services rendered by our late Bro. Portal in one or other of the numerous offices he filled almost from the date of his advancement, but more particularly as Deputy Grand and Grand Master and President of its General Board. In him, too, the Mark Benevolent Fund has lost one of its founders and early patrons, while the Allied Degrees and Royal and Select Masters will hardly know themselves now that he who had presided over their respective councils from their organization as Grand Bodies is no longer here to watch over and protect their interests.

In short, Freemasonry has lost in Bro. Canon Portal one of its most cultured and most capable members, who had been the friend and associate in Masonic labor of many of the chief dignitaries of our Order, and who leaves behind him not only many sterling memorials of his wisdom and strength as a ruler, but likewise a reputation for kindliness as well as ability which few will rival, and none surpass.

Congratulations, Bro. Gan! I hope your lecture will be published for those of us who cannot attend your stops in England.

     

‘Macoy initiates Trestle Board program’

    

Macoy Masonic Supply Co., making and selling us the stuff we need since Old Rough and Ready was president, launches a membership program for those seeking further Light in Masonry.

Macoy’s Trestle Board is a video channel, with more than a hundred videos online already, for subscribers, plus it brings a variety of benefits.

(I do not profit from this. I’m only spreading the news.)

Available to members are:

⬩Mentorship Program for officers and all

⬩Monthly Book, from both Macoy and Lewis Masonic, delivered by mail

⬩Lodge Talks: videos and discussions

⬩10 percent discount on more than a thousand catalog items

Click here to peruse all the options and to join, if you desire.

     

‘Communication in a cemetery’

    

If you are the type who keeps an all-seeing eye open for Masonic symbols on headstones when visiting cemeteries, this stated communication may be for you.

Western Branch Lodge 189 in Virginia will meet Saturday inside Southampton Memorial Park in Franklin at four in the afternoon.

Closed on Saturdays, the cemetery will welcome the lodge. It contains not one, but two Masonic sections. I imagine there are many familiar images engraved in the granite and other hard stone markers.

Most Worshipful Vernon Stuart Cook, who served as the Grand Lodge of Virginia’s 172nd Grand Master in 2016-17, will be the keynote speaker presenting “Masonry: A Force for Good.”

(Secret of the chair: bring your own.)

     

‘Convention of Masonic Light’

    

Quality event coming to Ulster County next month. From the publicity:

Convention of Masonic Light

Saturday, October 24 at 9 a.m.

Warwarsing Lodge 582

16 Center Street in Ellenville

Admission: $30

More Than a Masonic Conference.

A Day to Learn, A Day to Serve.

Freemasonry teaches us to seek Light. But it also teaches us that knowledge finds its highest purpose only when it is put into action. That belief is the foundation of the Convention of Masonic Light. On Saturday, October 24, brothers from across New York will gather at Warwarsing Lodge 582 for a day of inspiring Masonic education, meaningful fellowship, and a shared commitment to making a difference.

We’re honored to welcome three distinguished featured speakers:

   Most Worshipful William Sardone, Past Grand Master of Masons in the State of New York

   Right Worshipful Alberto Cortizo, Past Grand Treasurer

   Right Worshipful Michael LaRocco, Director of the Chancellor Robert R. Livingston Masonic Library

We’re also honored to welcome Tracy Schober, MPA, Executive Director of the Autism Society of the Greater Hudson Region, who will help connect our charitable mission to the families and communities it serves every day.

This event is about more than outstanding speakers. A portion of every admission fee will benefit the Masonic Medical Research Institute through the 3-5-7 Campaign, supporting groundbreaking medical research, including research related to autism. Our hope is to dedicate this year’s contribution in honor of a child affected by autism—reminding us that the principles of Brotherly Love and Relief extend far beyond the walls of our lodges.

Because behind every diagnosis is a child with dreams, a family searching for answers, and a community that can choose to make a difference.

Throughout the coming weeks, we’ll introduce each of our featured speakers through exclusive video invitations, giving you a preview of the education and inspiration that await. If you’ve ever wanted to experience Freemasonry at its best, this is your invitation.

Reserve your seat, invite a brother, and join us for a day of Light, Learning, Brotherhood, and Purpose, because together we don’t just study Relief, we practice it.

     

‘More Morgan’

     

From the Rob Morris book William Morgan; or Political Anti-Masonry, Its Rise, Growth and Decadence, 1884 edition.

I am happy to see the attention paid to the bicentennial anniversary of the “Morgan Affair.” While it’s nothing to celebrate, it is a significant chapter of Masonic history. It is not a stretch to say the fraternity we support today (forthrightly public, conspicuously philanthropic, et al.) is the product of the antimasonic panic that arose after the disappearance of William Morgan in Upstate New York on September 12, 1826.

Saturday, the Mother Supreme Council uploaded a great documentary video on this subject. Having watched this, I feel better now about my presentation in lodge that day because the real historians discuss the points I also recounted, although I didn’t go into Thurlow Weed, and I omitted that Honduras angle. Click the image below and be taken to YouTube.

Among the other lodges devoting time and consideration to the subject is Glen Cove 580 on Long Island:

     

‘New Jersey’s Anti-Masonic Party’

    

From the Proceedings of the Fourth Massachusetts Convention of Antimasonic Republicans, Boston, September 1833.
Click to enlarge.

We’ve had better days at New Jersey Lodge of Masonic Research and Education. I can’t write off yesterday’s meeting as a total loss—I mean, we held our nominations for elected office for the coming two-year term to make our December communication easier—but things could have been more encouraging.

First, attendance was slight. We don’t draw huge crowds to our activities (no research lodge does), but we typically are good for twenty guys, approximately. There were eight of us in lodge assembled at Freemasons Hall Saturday. Secondly, due to an absence, there was only a single presenter for the morning. A good speaker could carry a meeting, but that wasn’t to be. Worse, our speaker began by confessing he hadn’t completed his research, so that his presentation wouldn’t delve inside his main topic, but that instead, his introductory topic, for giving context to the keynote, would have to suffice.

Okay, that unprepared sorry speaker was myself. I didn’t budget enough time to tackle all the research I needed for this paper. The topic is the Anti-Masonic Party in New Jersey. That introductory topic was the abduction and possible killing of William Morgan in Upstate New York, the event that precipitated the anti-Masonic movement in many states between 1827 and 1840. Yesterday was the 200th anniversary of the kidnapping, which is why I aimed for this meeting to present a history of this local political party, but time ran out.

In my professional editorial work, deadlines are no problem. Of course there’s remuneration at the end of those jobs, so maybe that’s why, but what frustrates me about this research project is I know where to find the troves of information I require, but making time to go has been difficult. For example, the New Jersey State Library, located in Trenton, keeps banker’s hours; it’s open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., like a church thrift shop or something.

So, I focused on William Morgan’s life and alleged demise, relying on sources from Canada, which seem to me to be objective and rational. Much has been written about the “Morgan Affair,”  but I find a lot gets emotional and defensive. I wish I had Dafoe’s book. I never got around to buying Morgan: The Scandal that Shook Freemasonry, and now it’s out of print and copies are expensive. And, Masonic libraries are stingy with hours too.

Anyway, it’s an interesting story because simultaneously the anti-Masonic political party never accomplished anything in the state, but Freemasonry in New Jersey almost disappeared nevertheless. By 1840, when the smoke mostly had dissipated, there were eight lodges still operational, down from more than fifty in ’27. The fraternity had returned to its size at the founding of Grand Lodge in 1786. Long before 1840, the party, in the words of one historian, had “dwindled into insignificance” itself.

From The Antimasonic Party by Charles McCarthy, 1903 (the author’s doctoral dissertation). Click to enlarge.

In the 1832 presidential contest between Tennessee Past Grand Master Andrew Jackson and Kentucky Past Grand Master Henry Clay, the New Jersey Anti-Masonic Party inadvertently delivered their state to Jackson by denying Clay just enough votes in the tightest election in Jersey history. Clay had demitted from his lodge in 1824—never denounced the Craft, but gave up his membership—so the antimasons helped send a prominent and enthusiastic Freemason to the White House. They were that kind of political voice.

My desired conclusion for the talk was to be a humorous note about corruption in government courtesy of this one-issue party, but I need to grab more details first. I mean it’s funny in a dark way. If you know New Jersey politics, you know things never change when it comes to our beloved grifters in government, no matter the political party. (I used to work in professional politics. The official I answered to ended up in a federal penitentiary. They’re all garbage.)

I’ll get my eyes on the obscure papers I need eventually.

From Anti-Masonic Review, a monthly magazine by ‘renouncing Mason’ Henry Dana Ward, 1828. Click to enlarge.

After such a confused performance, I wanted to just quietly resume my seat and tell myself no one will remember this ignominious episode by the next time we meet. So what does Worshipful Master Don do? Has me exit the room. In my absence, the brethren—all seven of ’em!—voted to confer the lodge’s Distinguished Laureate Meritus honor on me. I didn’t even know meritus was a word.

We have too many honors at LORE. If you present five papers, we may elect you to Laureate Membership. Present ten, and maybe you’ll become a Distinguished Laureate. Do the ten and serve the lodge in other ways, and you could become this DLM. When the lodge was launched twenty-five years ago, just one honor was created: the one for ten papers. That’s enough. Ten papers, approved by the Editorial and Review Committee, is a ton of work. Could take a decade or more. Two members have preceded me here: Ben Hoff and Howard Kanowitz, both of whom have dazzled and entertained the lodge with their historical findings and engaging styles. (Don’t tell no one, but I’ve never written a Masonic research paper! I write in magazine feature article style. Same information, just in a different package.) But my thanks to the brethren for choosing me for this distinction. I rang the bell on that ten-paper minimum long ago, but never inquired into the honors because… we have too many honors in Masonry and it has to stop. It gets more ridiculous as the fraternity shrinks like a rayon shirt in the wash.

Our next meeting will be Saturday, December 12 for our elections & installation of officers and the new Master’s inaugural paper.

     

‘The Imperfect Storm at Cooperstown’

     

The lodge in Cooperstown will host a historian’s talk on the “Morgan Affair” Tuesday.

Yesterday was the 200th anniversary of the arrest of William Morgan at Batavia; today is the bicentenary of Morgan’s seeming disappearance. That mystery—an alleged, but unproven murder—precipitated a scandal that shamed our fraternity almost to oblivion, and echoes of suspicion are heard even today. From the publicity:

The Morgan Affair:

200 Years Later

By Steven L. Harrison

Tuesday, September 15, 7:30 p.m.

Otsego Lodge 138

77 Main Street, Cooperstown

Join us on this somber occasion as we are joined by Steven L. Harrison from Missouri as he discusses the events that unfolded in Western New York during September of 1826 and beyond.

Members are encouraged to read Bro. Harrison’s book The Imperfect Storm before this meeting if possible. Two copies that may be borrowed are in the lodge library.

This event is open to all Freemasons in good standing in the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New York and jurisdictions in amity. This event is not open to the public.

     

‘A work of art, grand in conception and birth’

    

As you know, the 140th anniversary of the dedication of Liberty Enlightening the World comes October 28. I’m not aware of any local Masonic buzz about it, but if you happen to be in North West England, one lodge has an evening planned around the sculpture. The image above has all the details.

Queen’s Jubilee Lodge’s name refers to the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria, celebrated in 1887, the year the lodge was constituted. It is part of the Provincial Grand Lodge of East Lancashire.

Of course more commonly known as the Statue of Liberty, the landmark at the time of its construction also was referred to as the Bartholdi Statue (or Monument), for sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, the Freemason from France who designed the colossus. (Its skeleton was made by Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel before erecting the tower in Paris that bears his name.)

The Gilded Age indeed was a golden age for Masonic dedications of public infrastructure great and small in New York, and the Statue of Liberty was not overlooked. Its pedestal’s cornerstone-laying on August 5, 1884 was attended by our top officers, led by Grand Master William A. Brodie.

Address by MW William A. Brodie,

Grand Master

Men and Brethren here assembled: Be it known unto you, that we be lawful Masons, true and faithful to our country, and engaged by solemn obligations, to erect magnificent buildings, to be serviceable to the brethren, and to fear God, the Great Architect of the Universe. We have among us, concealed from the eyes of all men, secrets which cannot be divulged, and which have never been found out; but these secrets are honorable, and not repugnant to the laws of God or man. They were entrusted, in peace and honor, to the masons of ancient times, and having been faithfully transmitted to us, it is our duty to convey them unimpaired to the latest posterity. 

William A. Brodie

Unless our craft were good, and our calling honorable, we should not have lasted for so many generations, nor should we have been honored with the patronage of so many illustrious men in all ages, who have ever shown themselves ready to promote our interests and defend us from all adversaries. We are assembled here today in the face of you all to erect a statue representing liberty enlightening the world, a work of art grand in its conception and birth.

As Auguste Bartholdi sailed into the bay of New York a few years ago, the sight of the great city before him was grand, but grander the thought which found lodgment in his mind, of placing at this entrance to the continent, something that would welcome to these shores all who love and seek liberty, and the thought at this time crude though grand, gave birth to this statue; grand in its figure—colossal in size; grand in its practical use—lighting the storm-tossed mariner to a safe harbor, and grand in its very name and the significance thereof: “Liberty Enlightening the World.”

Liberty—of thought, of conscience, of action, that true liberty that is not license, but which finds its highest development in obedience to constituted authorities and law. Enlightening—how necessary enlightenment to true liberty and the highest appreciation thereof. World—yes, to the whole world does our continent open its arms and bid it welcome to the blessings of liberty.

The question may and no doubt will be asked, Why call upon the Masonic fraternity to lay the cornerstone of such a structure as is here to be erected? This fraternity is called upon to lay the cornerstones of public edifices in this country, as has been answered. First, because it has become a common practice the world over; the adoption of a custom so ancient that the memory of man cannot run to the contrary; a custom which prevailed centuries before modern secret societies were thought of. Secondly, because the Masonry of the present day is but ancient operative masonry, with the operative portion dropped and the speculative retained. And as our ancient brethren erected grand old works of architecture that adorn the cities of the world, and which have come down to us covered with the mold and moss of centuries, or lie in ruin’s silent data, so ancient that history fails to reach back to the distant point—so in a speculative sense, the Masonic fraternity of the present age are called upon to erect the magnificent works of modern architecture, by laying the cornerstones thereof. But there is a special reason why we should be called upon for this special duty of today. No institution has done more to promote liberty and to free men from the trammels and chains of ignorance and tyranny than Freemasonry, and we as a fraternity take an honest pride in depositing the cornerstone of the pedestal of the statue of “Liberty Enlightening the World.”  And which we pray God may deserve to prosper by becoming a beacon light of liberty to all men and promoting harmony and brotherly love throughout the world till time shall be no more. Amen.

Masonic ceremony dominated the day’s festivities. Our brethren provided additional orations, music, prayers, deposit of a time capsule, and, of course, the consecration ceremony.

     

‘Museum fundraiser seeks auction items’

    

Click to enlarge.

As a fundraiser to benefit its library and museum, the Grand Lodge of Virginia plans a gala for October 23 that will feature a silent auction. We can help by donating pieces of Masonic material culture to be sold by bid that evening. From the publicity:

Silent Auction Donations Needed!

We are preparing for the Grand Lodge of Virginia Library and Museum Fundraising Gala on Friday, October 23 in Richmond, and we are now seeking donations for our silent auction. We are especially interested in antique and historic Masonic collectibles, including:

⬩antique Masonic memorabilia

⬩old Masonic jewels, medals, and pins

⬩vintage lodge items

⬩historic Masonic books

⬩antique Masonic artwork

⬩Past Master items

⬩lodge photographs and documents

⬩rare or unusual Masonic collectibles

We also are looking for gift cards, gift baskets, restaurant certificates, golf packages, experiences, artwork, services, and other unique items. If you have something you would be willing to donate—or know someone who might—we would love to hear from you.

Help us preserve and celebrate the rich history of Freemasonry in Virginia while making this fundraising gala a tremendous success. Brothers, let’s see what treasures are hiding in those lodge rooms, attics, and collections.

To contribute, send an email here.

A transition is underway at the institution. While Grand Lodge’s website still refers to it as the Allen E. Roberts Masonic Library, Inc., it seems that name is subject to change pending the right endowment donation. Also, personnel changes have been made, and displays of artifacts are expanding.

Listen to this recent episode of Grand Lodge’s Nine Mile Road Podcast to hear about these reforms and more. Host Jason Himsey interviews Grand Senior Warden Gino Williams. Not even ten minutes. Check it out.

     

‘Sir Robert Moray Seminar: Masonic History in the Making’

Scotland on Saturday! A great program awaits you if you can get to the research lodge in Edinburgh on the 26th. From the publicity:

Lodge Sir Robert Moray 1641 cordially invites you to attend our forthcoming seminar.

◦ Matthew Leigh: “Theatre, Theatricality, and Play in 18th Century Masonic Ritual”

◦ Adam Bruce: “From the 30 Years’ War to the Bishops’ War: The significance of the Muddy Field Outside Newcastle.”

◦ Charles Winston: “Elias Ashmole and Sir Robert Moray: Astrology and Astronomy”

◦ John Hawkins: “Early ‘Scots’ Freemasonry in England, France, and Germany, 1723-47”

Saturday, September 26

Doors: 9:30 a.m. Seminar: 11

The Masonic Hall, 19 Hill Street

Admission: $30, including lunch, etc.

Tickets here.

As you know, Matthew Leigh is the author of The Masons and the Mysteries in 18th Century Drama (2019), of which its publisher says: “The fathers of modern Freemasonry sought a classical pedigree for their rituals and forms of association. This volume offers the first academic study of how Freemasons writing in the first half of the 18th century deployed their knowledge of antiquity to bolster this claim and how the creative literature of the period reflected their ideas.” He is a professor of Classics at St. Anne’s College, Oxford University. (I hope he’s a Mason, but I don’t know.)

Lodge Sir Robert Moray 1641

Bro. Bruce is fifth from front. He is Marchmont Herald at the Court of the Lord Lyon.

Bro. Adam Bruce is a Past Master of Lodge Robert Moray 1641. Bro. Charles Winston’s name is recognizable from back issues of The Philalethes, and he is secretary of the Grand Lodge of Scotland’s History and Heritage Group. You remember Bro. John Hawkins from his 2022 Prestonian Lecture, “The Royal Family and Freemasonry.”

This is not the first Sir Robert Moray Symposium. They seem to be held every couple of years.

If you’re unfamiliar with Robert Moray, the Scotsman was initiated into Freemasonry in 1641, during the Scots’ siege of Newcastle upon Tyne during the First English Civil War, making him the first non-operative made a Freemason on English soil—five years before Elias Ashmole.

     

‘Brent to bring Folger to Indianapolis’

    

If you missed Brent Morris’ appearance at The American Lodge of Research six months ago, I suppose you could catch him in Indianapolis in October. The Grand Lodge of Indiana plans a Masonic Education Day for Saturday the third. Brent will reprise his talk on Robert Benjamin Folger and his vexing Masonic cipher of 200 years ago.

If you have read Committed to the Flames, Arturo de Hoyos’ and Brent’s book on this secret code, its author, and the rituals themselves, then you know all about it. Otherwise, you’ll be amazed by this story.

Brent’s illustrious career has encompassed teaching mathematics, statistics, computer security, and cryptology at Duke, Johns Hopkins, and George Washington universities, as well as The National Cryptologic School. This will get the conspiracy goofballs worked up, but he also was a cryptologic mathematician at the National Security Agency for a quarter-century. So you can see why he’d want to decipher an elusive code that possibly only its creator ever knew.

I’ll try to summarize the story. Circa 1826, Robert Benjamin Folger, age 23, a physician and a new Mason at Fireman’s Lodge 368 (and later in I.R.A. 2) here in New York, filled a pocket-sized commonplace book with his own cipher of the Rectified Rite’s Craft rituals. This was not like anything you’ve seen in any Masonic ritual book, nor was it the Pigpen Cipher, or any other coded alphabet that might come to mind.

The code had been cracked twice in the twentieth century, first by W. Bro. Wil Baden in the 1950s, another New York Mason; and again by Mr. Donald H. Bennett in the ’80s. Proving it’s a small world, Bennett was inspired by the article “Fraternal Cryptography” Brent recently had published on the subject. Neither man was aware of Baden’s success.

Brent Morris sporting his UGLE regalia
at The ALR in March.

Baden cracked the code using what they call the “matched plain and cipher” technique made possible by the inclusion of some English text in Folger’s pages, which Baden compared and contrasted with symbols in the cipher. Bennett employed the “cipher text only” method involving “classical cryptanalytic techniques.” His findings are revealed in his paper “An Unsolved Puzzle Solved” in Cryptologia magazine.

Honestly, it’s a bit much for me to comprehend, but some basics were discovered: Folger’s code masked English words; it is read from left to right, top to bottom; the same encryption style is employed throughout, and twenty-six symbols stand for English characters; words are represented by clusters of symbols; and identical repeats of many words are seen. Get Committed to the Flames for the full story.

The book also contains the amazing (to me, at least) biographical details of Folger’s medical career and Masonic activities. Not your typical lodge sideliner! 

Also on the program for October 3:

   • Candidate Experience

   • Grand Master’s Blueprint Project

   • Masonic Symbolism

   • MED Talks from Indiana Brothers

   • Lodge Showcase

Indianapolis Freemasons Hall. 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Registration is free. Lunch costs $20/person. Register here.